Ongoing Calgarians complaining about pedestrian bridges thread

[fundmark19]

Do downtown communities pay community fees? Because isn't that a way for the suburban communities to help pay for themselves? I pay 500 a year between my two properties so I can enjoy things like our pathways and tennis courts and fountains and ice rinks in the deep south. Don't the downtown communities get these for free?

[Barnes]

I like it too. It reminds me of the German fortifications, rusty equipment, landing boats as well as the cliffs the Allies scaled on D day I've seen pictures of.

[worth]

Don't forget there is the Calgary Soldiers Memorial just down the street from that memorial right on the river.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by fundmark19

Do downtown communities pay community fees? Because isn't that a way for the suburban communities to help pay for themselves? I pay 500 a year between my two properties so I can enjoy things like our pathways and tennis courts and fountains and ice rinks in the deep south. Don't the downtown communities get these for free?

No, but we get human feces in our alleys for free. I hear it can make for a great compost base.

Oh yeah, but our 2 tennis courts and the ice rink that was ripped out? I'm fairly certain I pay $3000/year for those for my 1200sq ft 100 year old house.

We pay. Oh we pay.

[fundmark19]

Originally Posted by hulkrogan

No, but we get human feces in our alleys for free. I hear it can make for a great compost base.

Oh yeah, but our 2 tennis courts and the ice rink that was ripped out? I'm fairly certain I pay $3000/year for those for my 1200sq ft 100 year old house.

We pay. Oh we pay.

No you pay for your fancy new bridge and the crew that ripped out your courts! Your taxes pay for fancy bridge my community fees pay for my fancy tennis courts and Zamboni and ice rinks plus I pay my property taxes to help out your bridge.

You should really be thankful us suburbanites are so generous with our tax dollars instead of calling us leaches. (copperfieldians and cranstonites exempt because they are in fact leaches)

[MarchHare]

No you pay for your fancy new bridge and the crew that ripped out your courts! Your taxes pay for fancy bridge my community fees pay for my fancy tennis courts and Zamboni and ice rinks plus I pay my property taxes to help out your bridge.

NO YOU DON'T.

Seriously, the ignorance surrounding this bridge is astounding.

[burn_this_city]

Actually hes not completely wrong, if it goes over budget I'm not sure the provincial money will cover everything. SO THERE!

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Actually hes not completely wrong, if it goes over budget I'm not sure the provincial money will cover everything. SO THERE!

Oh it's going over budget I can assure you.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Actually hes not completely wrong, if it goes over budget I'm not sure the provincial money will cover everything. SO THERE!

So its kinda like shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic which means that not only will we still be paying for it, but all employees will be paying for the incompetency of City Council. Not only that but there will be less provincial money available for other important infrastructure projects.

If it goes over budget the last thing we should do is shrug our shoulders and say, well at least the province is paying for it and we get a pretty bridge out of it (Which it isn't)

Its equivalent to you blowing through your allowance in the first two days of the week with a bookie and then asking your in debt dad to bail you out.

[fundmark19]

Originally Posted by fotze

I think we are all kind of joking now since this argument is unresolveable and goes on forever.

So I will keep it going anyway.

I will pay for the $25MM bridge if I don't have to pay for all the crowchild trail overpasses, sarcee trail overpasses, Stoney Trail, Ring Road, West LRT, Macleod Trail south overpasses, South LRT extension, 146th Avenue Bridge thing where Charles Ng hung out, Marquis of Lorne/Deerfoot thingy, Airport tunnel.

Bottom line is we pay for crap we personally don't need, its the joy of being a taxpayer.

Exactly! Who cares where the tax dollars are going because there is no way for us the change it, and in the end we will just have to pay more next year regardless. This is how democracy works! They make you think your opinion matters then bend you over regardless of the result.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by fundmark19

Exactly! Who cares where the tax dollars are going because there is no way for us the change it, and in the end we will just have to pay more next year regardless. This is how democracy works! They make you think your opinion matters then bend you over regardless of the result.

There was nothing democratic about this bridge. It was political egotism at its finest and nothing else.

[fundmark19]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

There was nothing democratic about this bridge. It was political egotism at its finest and nothing else.

Oh really? I totally thought we voted for people to represent our communities and interests? Were they not part of the bridge decision at all. Was it made by monkeys?

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by fundmark19

Oh really? I totally thought we voted for people to represent our communities and interests? Were they not part of the bridge decision at all. Was it made by monkeys?

Also, the bridge location was approved by council before any thoughts of a starchitect occured.

I'd have to look it up, but the location was approved by council in the centre city plan.

Again, the majority of council did approve the bridge, not just the ones that "got the ego boost."

That's not to say that the whole process didn't stink.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by fundmark19

Oh really? I totally thought we voted for people to represent our communities and interests? Were they not part of the bridge decision at all. Was it made by monkeys?

How is it representing anything when the swing vote decides to go and watch T.V. instead?

How is it any form of representing peoples interests when they sole source a $25 million dollar bridge.

There was nothing that was ever democratic about it, even Bronco knew which way the wind was blowing when he decided not to run for Mayor again because the Bridge issue would have come to the forefront and buried him.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

How is it any form of representing peoples interests when they sole source a $25 million dollar bridge.

They didn't sole source a $25 million dollar bridge. They sole sourced the design of said bridge, something which the city does all the time, for good reason.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

There was nothing democratic about this bridge. It was political egotism at its finest and nothing else.

Can I just ask the dumb question; who gets/got the ego boost from this bridge?

[fundmark19]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

How is it representing anything when the swing vote decides to go and watch T.V. instead?

How is it any form of representing peoples interests when they sole source a $25 million dollar bridge.

There was nothing that was ever democratic about it, even Bronco knew which way the wind was blowing when he decided not to run for Mayor again because the Bridge issue would have come to the forefront and buried him.

The fact that people voted him in to represent him was democratic. They should have voted for someone who didn't like watching T.V and maybe he would have shown up

[Bigtime]

For those that rail against the look of the bridge, I think that really makes it special in Calgary. Some love it, some hate it, some are indifferent. It is that polarizing effect that all great structures are usually born from.

Paris hated the Eiffel tower, NYC the World Trade Centre twins. I'm not saying the Peace bridge is anywhere on that level, but the reaction it has caused is the same. Maybe in 30 years it will be a (small) but loved piece of design in the city.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

For those that rail against the look of the bridge, I think that really makes it special in Calgary. Some love it, some hate it, some are indifferent. It is that polarizing effect that all great structures are usually born from.

Paris hated the Eiffel tower, NYC the World Trade Centre twins. I'm not saying the Peace bridge is anywhere on that level, but the reaction it has caused is the same. Maybe in 30 years it will be a (small) but loved piece of design in the city.

And the Romans hate Vittoriano.

[Barnes]

Calgary hated the Centre St bridge. Felt it was too expensive, fancy and was designed by a foreigner.